Satya Pal Malik Current Affairs - 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind appointed Governors of seven states including Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, and Tripura by exercising his authority under Article 156. The appointments will be effective from the dates the incumbents take charge of their respective offices.

New Governors

Satya Pal Malik: He is former Governor of Bihar who was transferred to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). It makes hi, first careered politician to be appointed as Governor of J&K in 51 years. He succeeds N Vohra, who has been serving this post since 2008.

Lal Ji Tandon: He was has been appointed as new Governor of Bihar. He was MLA in Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council for two terms (1978-84). He was elected MLA from Lucknow West for three terms from 1996 to 2009. He was close confidant of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Ganga Prasad: He was appointed as the new Governor of Sikkim. He is former Governor of Meghalaya. He was member of Bihar legislative council for 18 years. He is former leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly. He was businessman by profession, and had started his political career as Jan Sangh member in 1967.

Tathagata Roy: He was transferred as new Governor of Meghalaya. He was earlier the Governor of Tripura. He was BJP’s West Bengal unit President from 2002 to 2006. He had started his political career in 1990. He was part of Calcutta Metro railway project and had designed Calcutta Metro.

Kaptan Singh Solanki: He was appointed as new Governor of Tripura. Prior to this, he was Governor of Haryana. He is former Rajya Sabha member and was appointed as the Governor of Haryana in 2014. He was elected to Rajya Sabha in August 2009.

Satyadev Narayan Arya: He was appointed as the new Governor of Haryana. He is prominent Dalit leader from Nalanda, Arya. He was eight-term MLA from Bihar. He was cabinet minister in 2010 BJP-JDU Government in state.

Baby Rani Maurya: She has been made the new Governor of Uttarakhand. She is former Agra mayor and ex-member of National Commission for Women (NCW). She was BJP leader from Agra.

Constitutional provisions of Governor

Article 153: It says that there shall be Governor for each state. 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated appointment of the same person as governor for two or more states.

Article 156: It says that Governor is appointed by President of India for a term of five years (But Governor usually holds office during pleasure of President.

President Ram Nath Kovind has given Bihar Governor Satya Pal Malik (72) additional charge of Odisha until regular arrangements are made. He was given additional charge after incumbent governor S C Jamir completed his five-year tenure. The five-time Chief Minister of Nagaland S C Jamir had taken over as Odisha governor in March 2013 after serving as governor of Goa and Maharashtra. He had also been given additional charge of Gujarat in 2009.

Satya Pal Malik

He hails from Baghpat district in western Uttar Pradesh. He had begun his political career in 1970s as member of UP Legislative Assembly between 1974 and 1977. He was elected from Aligarh Lok Sabha constituency on Janata Dal ticket in 1989-90. He also served as a member of Rajya Sabha for two terms of 1980-86 and 1986-1992. He has also served as MoS for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism. He has also served in several Parliamentary Committees. He was also member of Uttar Pradesh Assembly from 1974 to 1977.

Constitutional provisions of Governor

Article 153: It says that there shall be Governor for each state. But 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated appointment of same person as a governor for two or more states.

Article 156: Governor is appointed by President for term of 5 years but usually holds office during pleasure of President. There is no provision of impeachment, as it happens for the president.